Blocking the plate

Veteran umpire Tom Hallion has some explaining to do after attempting to block the New York Mets walk-off celebration Thursday.

According to the New York Post, Major League Baseball officials are expected to question the veteran umpire for what writer Mike Puma termed an “apparent attempt to show up Todd Frazier” after Frazier launched the game-winning home run in Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Miami Marlins.

The Mets were quick to surround the plate to share in Frazier’s moment as he rounded the bases after one of the team’s few thrilling moments this season.

In the middle of it all was Hallion. The umpire stubbornly stood his ground above home plate as Mets players surrounded him. Then he basically went face to face with Frazier as he touched home with the winning run.

The incident was quite bizarre, and it caught the attention of MLB officials.

According to the report, MLB is mainly concerned with optics of the situation. Some are speculating Hallion was making a statement after Frazier’s admitted ball switch trick in Los Angeles.

During a game earlier in the month, Frazier fell into the stands trying to make a catch at Dodger Stadium. Frazier never actually caught the ball, but managed to trick the umpires by grabbing a rubber ball that happened to belong to a young fan nearby.

We can’t imagine the umpires were thrilled with how that situation played out. Frazier’s also made his share of negative comments about umpires this season. Some of those comments caught the attention of Commissioner Rob Manfred back in May.

Regardless of the motivation behind Hallion’s stand, Frazier was content to downplay it.

“I’m not looking too far into it, but at first I was just befuddled. Things happen. Only to me,” Frazier said after Thursday’s doubleheader. “Maybe it was bad timing. Tom is a good guy. I’ve known him well over the years. He’s a good umpire.

“Maybe it’s a silly mistake. I’m not looking to get him fined.”